Best Work

To say that GTA3 has been critically well received is an understatement of gargantuan proportions. Since the short time of its release, the game is already being heralded not only as the game-of-the-year, but also a groundbreaking artistic masterpiece that qualifies for the ever-diminishing title of "greatest game of all-time."

People compare games and movies. Whether this is fair or not is moot by this point. People do it, and it doesn't look like theyre going to stop. The gaming public has decided to view games as an authorative medium in the tradition of cinema.

There are games, and there is art. Are the two fated to be mutually exclusive? Personally, I'd say the answer is no.

There is a quote by Stephen King in reference to Stanley Kubrick's adaption of his horror novel, The Shining. When asked what he thought of Kubrick's approach to the genre he said "I think he really wants to make a movie that will hurt people." I cant imagine a more relevant and concise statement to sum up the approach of Silent Hill 2, Konami's most recent take on the "survival horror" sub-genre made immortal (for better or worse) by Capcoms infamous Resident Evil series.

I don’t think I was thinking about Thelma & Louise when I created Hana and Rain. I think it was closer to Xena and Gabrielle instead. Regardless, the relationship between Hana and Rain was not my main focus when I wrote the story for Retro Helix. I think it just got blown out of proportion due to the ads and the media coverage.

After playing and reviewing Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix, I knew almost instantly that I wanted to interview its creators at Kronos Digital. The unique blend of Hollywood-esque production values, trendy anime cyber-punk, and eastern-style mysticism topped off with gratuitous doses of ultra-violence and candid sex appeal had me wondering just what kind of mind is able to process all these different sensibilities and produce a videogame of such artistic quality.

While I wouldn't go so far as to say that Fear Effect 2 is the digital entertainment equivalent of a cutting-edge novel or soul-searching film, it certainly pushes the envelope of games by going boldly where almost no console titles have gone before in terms of what qualities they are expected to contain, and it manages to do it with panache.

R-P-G. In the world of video games, not only do these three letters stand for role-playing game, but its mere mention also evokes more loyalty, passion and debate than perhaps any other genre. Though I write that last sentence as if it were common knowledge, I ponder what made RPGs so endearing to me and millions of gamers around the world to begin with.

When discussing the advancement and progression of video games, it's not very often that an original idea comes along and jumpstarts the industry while being well-rounded enough to be praised on multiple levels. When a game is going to focus on improving or innovating the mechanics of how it's played, it often leaves behind the polish and fully-fleshed feel most gamers crave.

Among the many NES classics we've all played and forgotten about, Blaster Master is one that still manages to amaze today. I remember marveling at the game's remarkable special effects when it came out 12 years ago, and even as I play it now, I'm astonished at how cool the shots and explosions look.